l willeford



No. 617,4". Patented lan. l0, i899. 'E. L. WILLEFOHD, Decd.

L VLWILLEFDRD, Executor. PIANOFORTE ACTION'.

(Application med Feb. 12, 189s.)

me Nonms PETERS ca, PHOTO-umn.. wAsmNoToN. n, c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR L. VVILLEFORD, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. II. WILLIAMS, OF SAME PLACE; JOHhT IV. VILLEFORD EXEOUTOR OF SAID EDGAR L. XVILLEFORD, DEOEASED.

PIANOFORTE-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,41 1, dated January 10, 1899.

Application filed February 12,1898. Serial Nox 670,062. (No model.)

To cz/ZZ wir/0m t may conocia/1,: The essentially new features of my inven- Beit known that I, EDGAR L. VILLEFORD, tion reside in the mechanism now to be dea citizen of the United States, residing at Atscribed and in the modifications thereby made lanta, Fulton county, Georgia, have invented necessary in parts before referred to in com- 5 new and useful Improvements in Pianofortebining and adapting all the parts to produce 5 5 Actions, of which the following is a specificanew and useful results. tion. Rising from the pivoted jack-bed B in a My invention relates to pianos, its object forward curve near the rear end is rigidly being to improve the -action with a view to secured a post II, to which is pivoted a slotted 1o producing a hrm, elastic, and perfectly-conextension H2, the latter being provided mid- 6o trolled movement of the hammer under all way with a forward-projecting arm or `linger conditions, enhancing the durability of the h, slotted to pass and be engaged with the parts and connections, insuring a clear, firm, shank f of the back-catch F by means of a and even tone throughout the register' under nut n upon the screw-threads of the shank f 15 all circumstances of use. The improvement to secure an interadjustment presently to be 65 also facilitates quick repetition of striking described. The post extension H2 extends in action without possibility of ciphering or an upward curve in front of' the hammeromission, and generally improves the responshank c in the plane of movement of the latsiveness, delicacy, and elasticity of the keyter, passing by the jack b and the shank of 2o board action,and also facilitates regulation the back-catch bunter c2, both of which lat- 7o and lessens the liability of getting out of reguter pass through the slots of said extension lated adjustment 'from changes of tempera- H2 Without contact or impairment of their ture or other causes. several movements and functions.

To these ends my invention consists in the From near the upper end of the extension 2 5 piano-action embodying the features and ele- H2 a pivoted tongue j extends rearward 75 ments herein described, combined and arthrough a slot in the hammer-butt O, with ranged as set forth and as illustrated in the which it has the connection more clearly accompanying drawings, in whichshown in Fig. 2`that is to say, the tongue j Figure l is a general side elevation of the is longitudinally slit, as shown at s, from its 3o action from the key-lever upward, including rearward to near its front end, and an oblong 8o the striking-hammer and damper. Fig. 2 is recess is formed near its rear end lined with a detail showing the connection between the felt or cloth, through which passes a pin p, hammer-shank and the post extension. inserted from side to side through the slot- Beferring now to the drawings, A desig- Walls of the hammer-butt O. The jaws of 3 5 nates the key-lever, B the jack-bed, pivotally the tongue j are held together by set-screw 7o. 85 secured to the rail B', b the jack, C the ham- At the upper extremity of the post extension mer-butt, c the hammer-shank, and D the IP is a buffer 7L', which in the rearward movehammer-head, all these parts being arranged ment of the extension contacts with the rail according to modern practice in this regard, I as a limiting-stop. 4o and, excepting in the particulars hereinafter To complete the group of parts just de- 9o pointed out, constructed in the usual manner. scribed, a spring fr, attached to the front pro- The hammer-butt C is pivotally secured to jection h and subject to regulation by a setthe rail G, to which also is pivotally secured screw in', passes downward through a slot in the damper E upon a shank c. From the the jack l) and engages the jack at the rear 4 5 front of the hammer-butt C projects the backside by means of a loop h2, pivoted to the jack 95 catch bunter c2, engagingk the back-catch F, near the bottom. A small coiled spring y the latterset upon a screw-threaded rod f, proalso connects the bottom of the hammer-butt jecting from the pivoted jack-bed B. These O with the rail G, acting normally to move parts also in their main relations and functhe hammer away from the string. 5o tions are similar to those in common use. The jack l2 is tripped in the usual manner roo by a front projection b', coming in contact with an adjustable stop Z upon a rail in, as shown.

The operation is as follows: On pressing down the forward end of the key-lever the riser (t lifts the pivoted jack-bed I3 with the jacl; Z), which latter in turn operates upon the hammer-butt C to throw rearward the hammer D in the usual manner. This action throws rearward the post II, which by means of an adjustable dog o operates the damper-trip E, lifting the damper E'. The movement also brings the jack extension b in contact with its arresting-stop l and jumps back the jacl; h against the force of its spring a'. It also throws rearward the upper end of the post extension H2, bringing the buffer 7L against the arresting-stop of the rail I. This arrest occurs before the key-lever has reached its limit of movement. Consequentlyas the jack bed continues rising and the jack b is jumped out of its seat at the hammer-butt C the post II' has a pivotal movement in relation to its extension 1I'2 against increased tension of the spring .r and the tonguej a like pivotal movement in relation to the extension H2. Also the rear projection 7L parts from its stop rn and the back-catch F continues on to its proper position to engage the back-catch bunter c2 upon the rebound of the hammer. The action of the hammer D upon the string, it will be seen, is direct and positive, but its rebound is limited by the opening s of the slit tonguej without suddenness or jar. In releasing the key-lever while the hammer and the extension II2 are still held to advanced position by the force of the spring .$13, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, the jack-bed B drops down and allows the jack to reseat itself under the hammer-butt while the hainmer is still held to position by the tongue and while the post II and its extension H2 are regaining their normal pivotal relations and the stop n is coming back to its engagement with the projection 7L. Thus it will be seen that every movement of the action is positive without sacrificing the elasticity and delicacy desired and that the movements are so limited and controlled that it is impossible for the key-lever to operate on the hammer after a previous action without first allowing the j acl; to reseat itself. Further, that the limits of key action and hammer movement may be regulated to a point of extreme delicacy without sacrificing the benelits above outlined.

Incidentally it will be observed that the construction is such that the friction is conlined to the center-pins and bushings, which permit the greatest possible minimizing and are least liable to be affected by changes of temperature or other causes. There is nolost motion between the key-lever and strikinghammer,and the repeatingaction is absolutely nntrammeled within defined limits without possible loss of control. It is also to be noted that while the action is provided with means of regulation at every essential point all these are accessible from the front without removing the action from its normal relation to the strings.

The soft-pedal effect is produced by a suitable lifter (not shown) acting to lift the rail R into the position shown in dotted lines, thereby diminishing the are of movement of the key-levers, thus leaving the quality of tone unimpaired and allowing the performer to vary the loudness by varying the force of the stroke and so producing uniformity of effect varied only in degree from the most delicate pianissimo to the double forte.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- I. In a piano-action the pivoted jack-bed, provided with a pivotal arm extending npward in front of the hammer-shank, and connected therewith; in combination with the jack; and a spring connecting the upward extension with the jack, substantially as set forth.

2. In a piano-action, the combination of a jack-bed and its pivotal extension-arm, the arresting-rail, arranged in the rearward path of the upper terminus of the said arm, and the tongue pivotally attached to said extension and having an elongated slot connection with said hammer-shank, substantially as set forth.

3. In a piano-action, the combination of a pivoted j ack-bed, the pivotal extension-arm; the back-stop, constituting also an adjustable holdingstop for the extension-arm, and the spring engaging said pivotal extension-arm with the jack, substantially as set forth.

t. In a piano-action, the combination of the jack-bed,the pivotal extension-arimthe backstop, the projection of said pivotal extensionarm, and the spring connecting said projection and jack, in compression, drawing the jack rearward and forcing the projection of the extension-arm normally upward against its holding upon the back-stop, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the pivoted jaclcbed and its rigid post II, the pivotal extensionarm H2, the pusher, o, adjustable in said post, and the damper-trip substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of thepivoted jack-bed, the post having a pivotal extension connected with the hammer-butt, the j acl; having a rear extension, the spring connecting and operating the jack and the pivoted arm of the jack-bed, and the arresting-stop engaging the rear extension of the jack, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the pivoted j acltbed, the post having a pivotal extension, the forward-projecting arm of the pivotal extension, the back-catch rod and the adjustable nut on said rod en gaging the said forward-pro jectin g arm as a holding-stop, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination of the pivoted j aclcbed, the post and its pivotal extension, the ha1nmer-butt, the jack and the tongue,j, moving IOO rearward correspondingly with the lifting action of the jack to its arresting-point and the slit-tongue connection of the pivoted tongue extension with the hammer-butt, substantially as set forth.

9. In an action of the character indicated, in combination with the pivoted jack-bed, the

y post, its pivotal extension and forward projeotion, and the jack, the spring fuleruined in the forward projection in a bight or bend, attached to the jack at its outer terminal and having an adjustable bearing against said forward projection at its inner terminal, substantially as set forth.

l0. In a piano-action of the character indicated the combination of the post extension of the jack-bed; the pivoted tongue j slit as lshown and provided with an oval enlarge- 

